CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron

[Joey Smiley]

No: HPFGUIDX 189484

> 1. Percy seems to have no sense of humor. Did you feel sorry for Percy at any
> point or just accept that he deserves to be teased?

Joey:

I never thought that he deserved to be teased. Yet he deserved to be put in his place whenever he became a bit too bossy.
 
> 2. Why does Crookshanks attack Scabbers on sight? Does he sense Scabbers is
> evil or just that he is not a rat?

Joey:

>From whatever Sirius says later about the cat, looks like Crookshanks sensed both.
 
> 3. Is the conflict between Scabbers and Crookshanks meant to reflect the
> conflict between Ron and Hermione?

Joey:

Now you mention it, maybe it did. However, I didn't think so at any point in time so far.  To me, it was just yet another topic where Ron and Hermione disagreed.

> 4. Harry, we are led to believe, has plenty of money and could afford anything
> he wants. Why is he so frugal? Is his frugality meant to be a sign of virtue,
> a good example to the readers?

Joey:

I just thought he was being wise as far as the Firebolt (and a few other items) was concerned. Yes, it is a virtue (and that too at that age). Harry's 10 years of living with the Dursleys and his current awareness of his position in the WW made him this prudent, I guess.
 
> 5. Did you agree with Mr. Weasley that Harry should be told about Black's
> motives?

Joey:

Given Harry's history of curiosity, I think so.

> 6. Did you notice the strange fact that Scabbers was much too long-lived? What
> did you think it meant?

Joey:

It is true that I found that pretty intriguing though the clue of Animagus in PS/SS (McGonagall turning into a cat) never struck me as "Scabbers" never got to do anything significant in PS/SS or CoS. Wonder how "Scabbers" reacted to Quirrell and the various Muggle-born Petrification in CoS - we were never told, were we?

> 7. The guards at Azkaban are mentioned again along with the information that DD
> doesn't like them. What did you think they were at this point?

Joey:

My imagination did not vary at this point.

Thanks for the summary and interesting questions! :-)

Cheers,
~Joey :-)